Baptism by fire

Promoted teams Tru-Juice FC and Humble Lion FC will hope to avoid a baptism of fire when they kick off the Jamaica Premier League season against Mount Pleasant and Tivoli Gardens, respectively, today. Four games are scheduled for today, with the fixture between defending champions Portmore United and Waterhouse postponed because of Portmore’s Concacaf Caribbean Cup schedule. Tru-Juice will welcome Mount Pleasant to the Bramwell Clarke Complex in Linstead while Humble Lion, who are returning to the JPL after being relegated two seasons ago, will travel to the Edward Seaga Sports Complex to face Tivoli Gardens. Tru-Juice, who are making their first appearance at the national level, and Humble Lion earned promotion after reaching the Jamaica Football Championships final. Last season’s beaten JPL finalists Cavalier will be away to Dunbeholden while semi-finalists Montego Bay United welcome Chapelton Maroons at Jarrett Park, in what could be the most competitive game of the day. MBU have gutted last year’s team that fell at the semi-final stage and have brought in a number of players they hope will help them reach the final, after back-to-back seasons of making the top four. St Lucian national goalkeeper Vino Barclett is expected to take over the starting role while compatriot defender Melvin Doxilly should strengthen a defence that conceded more than 40 goals last season. Jourdaine Fletcher, who scored 12 goals last season before leaving, has returned and is expected to lead the line alongside newcomer Devonte Campbell, with Dwight Merrick pulling the strings in midfield. There will be plenty of familiarity between the teams as a number of players who previously donned the red and green of MBU are now at Chapelton, including midfielder Leonardo Rankine, veteran striker Brian Brown, and Trinidadian defenders Josiah Trimminghan and Jordan Britto.